Paul exhorts Timothy to study(be diligent) in "rightly dividing" the Scriptures, so as to be a workman (craftsman) approved by His Master (II Timothy 2:15)
Paul as the chief architect (masterbuilder) laid the foundation
according to the specifications he received, i.e. "the dispensation of the grace of God" (I Corinthians 3:10 cf.Ephesians 3:2)
These specifications revealed a distinct gospel and apostleship
for Paul as opposed to that of Peter and his fellow apostles (GaIatians 2:7-9)
Peter's gospel and apostleship concerned the message of
the prophets to the Jews (Acts 3:24-26), which spoke of Israel's Messiah Who would be raised up to sit on David's
earthly throne (Acts 2:29-30 cf. Acts 3:19-21)
Paul's gospel and apostleship concerned a secret message
to the Gentiles (Colossians 1:25-27), which speaks of them being raised up and seated together with their
Head in the heavenlies ruling "over ALL things" (Ephesians 2:6 cf. Ephesians 1:20-23)
Paul exhorts Timothy to shunprofane (secular) and vain babblings which result in ungodliness(II Timothy 2:16), whereas good doctrineengendersgodliness(I Timothy 4:6-8)
The Lord warned His disciples against the leaven (bad
doctrine) of the Pharisees (Matthew 16:6-12), who transgressed the "commandment of God" by their "tradition"
(Matthew 15:1-9)
Paul cites Hymenaeus and Philetus as examples of those
concerning whose words are to be shunned and warns that their false teaching is infectious and would spread as
gangrene does in one's flesh (II Timothy 2:17)
Paul warned the Corinthians that "a little leaven
leaveneth the whole lump" (I Corinthians 5:6)
The error of Hymenaeus and
Philetus was the "spiritualizing" of a physical resurrection(II Timothy 2:18)
by the twisting of the Word of God(Ephesians 2:4-6)
Hymenaeus is mentioned in connection with Alexander as
ones who as "concerning faith have made shipwreck" (I Timothy 1:19-20)
That they could have "spiritualized" the physical
resurrection spoken of by Paul in his letter to the Ephesians is very reasonable, since Alexander the coppersmith
was a Jewish unbeliever who withstood Paul's words at Ephesus (II Timothy 4:14-15 cf. Acts 19:8-9,30-34)
Paul dedicates a whole chapter of an epistle to refute
this insidious error (I Corinthians 15):
The truth of the gospel demands the physical resurrection
of Christ (I Corinthians 15:12-18)
The consummation of God's redemptive purposes calls for
the physical resurrection of Christ followed by the physical resurrection of His saints (I Corinthians 15:20-28)
The Church is to be encouraged by the hope of a secret
resurrection of its dead members and of a secret translation of its living members at the Lord's secret physical
appearing for the Church (I Corinthians 15:50-55)
Paul tells us NOTto speculate as to whether or not these false teachers
are saved - ONLYGod really knows for sure who are His(II Timothy 2:19)
This is a significant departure from Paul's earlier ministry
when he had the spiritual gift of "discerning of spirits" (I Corinthians 12:10) as manifested in the case of the woman with "a spirit of divination"
who followed after him saying that he was a "servant of the Most High God" (Acts 16:16-18)